


Danganronpa: Communal Life, Communal Hope.

by MagicalFoxes



Category: Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Dark, Everyone Is Alive, F/M, Gen, Not many though, Original Character(s), Pre-Series, Underage Drinking, and they're gonna stay that way dammit, pre-game, teenagers being teenagers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-18 19:04:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14219739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicalFoxes/pseuds/MagicalFoxes
Summary: Does it matter now, what went on before? Before the pain? Before the blood? Before the despair? There are so many who will never know what happened in the end, so why bother going back to the beginning? To a time before the suffering, before the death. Back when a group of freshmen had bright futures, and equally as bright smiles. A time when hope was all there was, and everything else seemed like something one would only see on television. Does anyone really want to know that story? Does anyone truly care? It’s supposed that someone must. Someone who feels they have a right to know. Whether that person wants to hear such a story because of curiosity, or some darker motive, matters little. What does matter is that they want to hear it, and it’s a story teller’s duty to oblige them.So without further adieu, please allow this story teller to recount the days of Hope at the prestigious: Hope’s Peak Academy…





	1. Prologue:

**Author's Note:**

> This is by far the darkest story I have ever written, and I'm both horrified and excited.
> 
> I'm seriously warning you guys, there's gonna be some messed up stuff in this story, so please be advised. As lighthearted as this is in comparison to the game, it's still gonna be pretty intense in parts. Subject matter will include: attempted sexual assault, peeping toms, and underage drinking/as well as other things you're parents would be ashamed of. As well as your basic innuendo and lewd joke.  
> You've been warned multiple times now, so don't get upset later if you choose to keep going.

Makoto may never know how he, of all people, was chosen to attend the best school in the world. What greater being had he pleased so entirely that they felt he was worthy of something so incredible? Whomever or whatever it was, he was far beyond grateful. He’d have to pay that sort of kindness forward, become fully worthy of it. But in the meantime, he had to work hard to stay at the school every kid in Japan dreamed of attending: Hope’s Peak Academy. There was no other school like it in the world; a place for only the most ultimate of students. Teens who were already pros in their chosen field, and would be the ones who grew up to shape the world into a better, brighter place. That did not describe Makoto Naegi at all, but that did little to deter him. He had to try. If not for himself, if not for whatever almighty above gave him this opportunity, then for his family who were supporting him so completely. They were his driving force, the thing that made him strive to be the best he could be, and he was going to make them proud.

Walking into the entry hall was much like he had expected, there were other students waiting around the room quietly, playing on their phones or admiring the stunning artwork that decorated the walls. The marble floors reflected his own awed expression back at him as he looked down at them, and the sunlight shining through the floor to ceiling windows sparkled off of the gold encrusted pillars. If just this one room was so immaculate, Makoto couldn’t help but wonder what the rest of the building must look like.

“Um, excuse me?”

A sweet voice pulled Makoto from his musings and he turned to see a familiar girl smiling at him. “Oh-!”

“You’re Makoto, right?” The girl asked hopefully. “You definitely are! I knew I recognized you!”

Makoto felt a blush warm his cheeks. “Y-you know who I am?” He asked, unable to hide his surprise. “Y-you’re Sayaka Maizono...I’m... _nobody_.”

Sayaka looked as surprised as Makoto felt. “But we went to Junior High together for three years, silly. Why wouldn’t I recognize you?”

“I can’t believe you remember me,” Makoto found himself saying without thinking. “I mean, it’s not like we ever...like...talked or anything.”

“Oh no,” Sayaka half whined. “You thought I was a total snob, didn’t you? That’s who I came off as, isn’t it?”

Makoto back peddled fast, “N-no!” He nearly yelped. “No, it’s not that! It’s just…” he blushed again, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, “you were just always so popular, and even back then you were basically a celebrity. I...I just didn’t think you even knew who I was, is all…”

Sayaka giggled, “Well, I definitely knew who you were, Makoto Naegi,” she told him warmly. “It’s nice to see you again. I was so nervous coming here, since I thought I wouldn’t know anyone...I’m really glad you’re going to be attending with me.”

“I-I-,”

“If you two are finished flirting,” a cold voice snarled. “The Headmaster is headed this way. Perhaps you could at least _try_ to act like you’re paying attention?”

Makoto eyed the owner of the voice: a blonde boy with glasses, who looked like he probably had more money than God. He recognized him right away, of course, because who wouldn’t recognize the one and only son of the prominent Togami family? They owned half the region and at least a handful of overseas operations. Byakuya Togami was set to take over his family’s entire, extensive, estate as soon as he graduated from University. As such, his face was plastered across nearly every newspaper in the country at least twice a month.

“Take a picture, will you?” Byakuya snapped.

Makoto jumped. He hadn’t even realized he was staring. “S-sorry.”

The other boy scoffed, turning toward the hallway, where the Headmaster was walking toward them.

The Headmaster was fairly young from what Makoto could tell, maybe in his mid to late thirties; not exactly the age he picture for the man supposedly in charge of the Ultimate School. He was smiling as he approached them all, holding a cloth bag in one hand while the other was extended out in welcome. “Freshmen!” his voice bellowed, bouncing off the smooth walls. “Please follow me to the Gym, and we’ll begin your first steps to becoming full fledged Hope’s Peak students!”

The group followed with varied levels of enthusiasm, through winding corridors, until they reached a room very plainly labelled: “Gym.” The doors were propped open, and Makoto could see rows of chairs set up in front of a decently-sized stage. The Headmaster motioned for them all to sit, as he stepped up onto the stage and took his place behind the podium positioned in the center. He was still smiling, but it wasn’t forced; it reached his eyes fully and held a glimmer of excitement. Makoto took the chair to Sayaka’s right, while Chihiro sat beside her to the left. He’d be lying if he said the tiny girl didn’t intrigue him, but for Makoto it wasn’t for any reason other than she seemed so...unusual. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something about Chihiro Fujisaki was most definitely off.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” The Headmaster said brightly. “I am Headmaster Kirigiri, and it is my absolute honor to welcome you all to Hope’s Peak Academy. You’re all here for the same reason...to become leaders. At this school we will nourish your skills, help them grow, help you grow. We will build upon the foundation already laid, and give you all the remainder of what you need to create a better and brighter future. Please, make yourselves at home here. Do not feel you have to compete with one another, instead make friends, build relationships, and do your best...because to build the kind of world we seek, we must be able to work together and trust our fellow man.”

“Well he certainly knows how to give a pep talk,” Sayaka whispered to Makoto with her ever present starlette smile still painted across her lips.

“Now, moving on,” Headmaster Kirigiri said, setting the bag from earlier on the podium and digging around inside. After a moment or so he produced what looked like a smart-phone. “This here is your e-handbook,” he explained. “As you can see, it’s entirely digital. However, this isn’t just a handbook...this is the single most important thing you will receive during your stay at the Academy. Your handbook does not only function as such, it also happens to be your student ID and the keycard to your lockers, as well as your pass to unlock several rooms within the building. If for some reason you lose yours, it must be reported to me promptly so that a replacement can be acquired. Also,” he clicked the power button and turned the screen to face the crowd, “please note that each device is one-hundred-percent specific to each of you, meaning borrowing or stealing another’s handbook would be rather pointless.”

“Oh _wow_!” Chihiro beamed, eyes sparkling with excitement. “It’s so cool!”

Makoto would have expected nothing less from the Ultimate Programmer.

“As I say your names,” Kirigiri went on. “Freshmen, please come forward to retrieve your devices.” He looked at the handbook in his hand, and then back at the teens. “Byakuya?” 

The blonde stood, adjusting his jacket and tie, and walked up to the edge of the stage where he was promptly handed his handbook. And it went on similarly with each student: a name called and a device given. Makoto carefully looked his over as he returned to his seat, wonder why he had never seen any device of its kind at any electronic stores in Tokyo.

“It’s because they’re custom made for the school.”

Makoto jumped, attention snapping to Sayaka. “D-did I say that outloud?!” 

Sayaka giggled. “Nope!” she replied, before leaning in close. “I read your mind.” Makoto leaned away, eyes wide, and she laughed again. “I’m just kidding, I swear! I just have really good intuition.”

Makoto nodded awkwardly. “O-oh…”

“And now, with that!” The Headmaster called out across the room. “I excuse you to explore your new surroundings, and welcome you with the utmost sincerity...to Hope’s Peak Academy! Returning students, please do your best to make all of these newcomers feel welcome and comfortable. You're all dismissed.”

The students all clapped as Kirigiri walked off stage.

“Sorry, I don’t think we’ve met. You’re Chihiro, right?” Makoto turned to see Sayaka shaking Chihiro’s hand.

The smaller girl blushed and looked away shyly. “Y-yes,” she said softly. Makoto would be lying if he said she wasn’t a little adorable. “I’m glad to meet you...miss Maizono.”

“Oh, no need for that. Sayaka, please.” And there was that smile again, brighter than every star in the sky and full of kindness. “We’re classmates now, so we can be friends as well, right?”

Chihiro seemed even more awkward at the question, “Oh...um...of course,” she muttered, eyes now trained solely on her dress shoes. She turned away abruptly, practically dragging Sayaka with her as she yanked her hand away, only to slam directly into none other than Mondo Owata. The Ultimate Biker. She squeaked, losing her balance and falling back into Sayaka who was thankfully able to catch her. Her cheeks burned a fiery red and she struggled to breathe, let alone form words. “I...I-I-! I-it w-was-!”

“Watch where you’re going, eh?!” Mondo barked, eyes like daggers as he glared down at the quivering girl.

Chihiro gasped, turning around and clinging to Sayaka for dear life.

Makoto stepped around the two to put himself between them and Mondo. “Hey, c’mon, it was an accident,” he reasoned calmly. “She didn’t mean it, so just give her a break.”

“Are you trying to tell me what to do?” Mondo demanded darkly. “ _You_? You little _pipsqueak_? I could crush you without even breaking a sweat!”

“N-no, of course I’m not!” Makoto defended quickly. “I’m just saying she’s just a girl and you don’t have to be so harsh! Especially since she didn’t do it on-!”

WHAM!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was how it all started: A crying girl and a black eye. But, rest assured there is plenty more to hear; two years worth of material to sift through.  
That is...if you’re still interested…?


	2. And so it begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Looks like someone made a friend.”
> 
> Makoto spotted Kyoko leaning against the wall a few feet away and instantly wondered when in the hell she had managed to slip past him unnoticed. “I...well...yeah, I guess.”
> 
> “People really warm up to you quickly, don’t they…” it was more a statement than a question, as if she was making a mental note. Kyoko pushed away from the wall and walked passed Makoto to her own room. “That’s a good skill to have. Don’t take it for granted.”
> 
> Makoto watched her until her door shut, unsure of how to respond or what exactly had just happened. “She’s...weird,” he muttered to himself. “Just...weird.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may do some more editing later, but I just really needed to get this posted.

When Makoto finally came to, the pain in his eye was the first thing he registered. He groaned, reaching up to brush his fingers against the undoubtedly bruising skin, only to wince almost immediately. Slowly, carefully, he opened his eyes and was more than a little surprised to see a blurry form standing over him. Makoto bolted upright, blinking rapidly to clear his vision.

“Oh, you’re awake!” Sayaka seamed to sigh with relief. “We thought Mondo might have killed you.” She giggled, but Makoto failed to see the humor in the situation. He also wondered where he was and how he got there. “Oh, you’re in the dorms. This is your room. Sakura Ogami offered to bring you here.”

Makoto clutched his chest in shock. “D-did I-?!”

“Nope, I read your mind!” Sayaka beamed. “Kidding! It’s all thanks to my amazing intuition.”

Makoto wondered if he could ever get used to that joke. “So, where’s everyone else?” he asked.

“The Dining Hall,” Sayaka replied. “Lunch is served at precisely eleven-thirty, apparently. Do you want to head over? I’m sure everyone’s really worried.”

“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” Makoto said, swinging his legs over the side of his bed and getting up cautiously; if he had a concussion, the last thing he needed to do was jump up and make himself dizzy.

The pair walked out of the dorm hall and into the common area, where Makoto saw doors for a Laundry room and Bath. He could see big wooden, double doors down a connecting hall, in front of a set of stairs going up toward the second floor Dorms. Sayaka led him to the dining hall, and, as expected, the rest of the freshmen class were gathered around a huge table in the middle of the room.  
Aoi Asahina saw him first, and waved with a smile. “Hey, Makoto! You’re not dead!”

Makoto blinked, “Uh...yeah…”

Sayaka dragged him over to the table and deposited him in a seat, before taking the one beside him.

“Uh, hey, Naegi,” Mondo spoke up, obviously uncomfortable. “Sorry about that. I guess I was more nervous than I thought. Let’s just chalk it up to freshmen jitters and call it solid, huh?”

Makoto wondered what might happen if he disagreed. “O-oh, um...yeah. Totally. Solid.”

Mondo turned back to his lunch tray and shoveled food into his mouth, undoubtedly to avoid further conversation.

It wasn’t long before Makoto noticed that Byakuya was sat alone at a distant table, separate from all other students, and Chihiro was completely missing from the picture. He stretched up to get a better view of the room, but didn’t notice the girl anywhere.

“If you’re looking for Chihiro, she isn’t here,” Sakura said, looking him dead on.

Makoto sat back down, “She must be really embarrassed,” he mused.

“It would seem she’s completely humiliated,” Celestia said passive aggressively from behind a cup of tea, subtly eyeing Mondo across the table. She spotted Makoto staring and looked at him with the smallest hint of a smile. “I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced. My name is Celestia Ludenberg,” she told him. “But please, call me Celeste.”

Makoto’s eyebrows furrowed, “You are...Japanese, aren’t you?” he asked.

Celeste nodded. “Well of course,” she replied.

“Then...what’s with the accent?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea as to what you are referring.”

Makoto blinked slowly, “Y-yeah…”

“You can call me Hina,” Aoi piped up. “Everyone does. I’m really glad you’re ok, Makoto, you really scared us when you didn’t wake up! The Nurse said to just leave you until you did.”

“Oh, that’s right!” Sayaka said suddenly. “She wanted to see you once you were up and about.”

“Well I guess I can go now,” Makoto said, standing up. “Um...where’s the office?”

“I’ll take ya!” Yasahiro volunteered, knocking back his milk like it were a shot of Sake and getting up from the table.

Makoto tried not to feel disappointed that Sayaka hadn’t spoken up first as he followed the obviously older boy out of the room. “Hey, uh, Yasahiro-?”

“Just call me Hiro, dude, we’re all friends here!”

“Ok, so...Hiro?” Makoto corrected. “Can I ask...how old are you?”

Hiro didn’t miss a beat as he replied: “Twenty-one as of a week ago! I got held back a couple of times. No big deal.”

Makoto wondered briefly exactly how many times one would have to be held back to still be a high school freshman at twenty-one-years-old. “That so?”

Hiro stopped in front of a pink sliding door, decorated with big red hearts, and knocked once before opening it. “Hey, misses Nurse Lady? Got Makoto here!”

A woman with a long black braid sat up, dropping the pen she was using to fill out papers on her desk, and turned in a spinning chair to face the two. “Well, thank you very much, Hiro,” she said kindly. She stood and walked over to one of the three beds against the wall. “Mister Naegi, would you mind having a seat here for me? You can return to your lunch, Hiro.”

Hiro gave a mock salute before leaving the room.

Makoto did as instructed, “Uh, you can just call me Makoto, ma’am.”

The Nurse raised a pen light and waved it in front of the boy’s injured eye, “Well in that case, you can call me Miss Akibara...as opposed to the title I seem to have gained from Hiro.”

Makoto smiled, “Miss Akibara it is, then.” He followed her finger with his eyes as it moved back and forth, side to side, then up and down, and tried to not pull away when she pressed lightly around his eye socket.

“So, are you dizzy at all?” Miss Akibara asked, walking over to grab a clipboard with some sort of chart on it. She used a pen to add checks to a few spots, before lifting her gaze to Makoto expectantly.

“Not so far.”

She added another check. “Nausea or vomiting?”

“Nope.”

_Check, check._

“Well your eye is obviously swollen, but not an unusual amount considering the trauma...does it seem blurry, or does it burn at all?”

“No, it’s all good other than the ache.”

_Check._

Miss Akibara looked up fully and reassuringly. “Well, you don’t have a concussion from what I can tell,” she told him. “And it doesn’t seem like any muscles are torn, and nothing’s fractured. I’d say, besides having a nice shiner for a few weeks, you should be ok.”

Makoto hopped off the bed and walked toward the door. Before he left, he turned back and gave a small wave, “Thank you for your time,” he said politely.

The woman seemed genuinely surprised, “Y-you’re very welcome.”

It wasn’t a hard decision to not return to the dining hall, honestly Makoto felt a little out of place among the other students. Ok, a lot out of place. He had no business even breathing the same air as any of those amazingly talented people. He was a nobody, a nothing. They were all going to help shape the world, and he was just going to live in it.

“M-Makoto?”

The boy in question looked up, jumping slightly. Without realising it he had walked back to the dorm hall, and it seemed Chihiro had finally decided to leave her room. “Oh, hi, Chihiro,” he said. “Are you feeling any better?”

“I should be asking you that,” Chihiro told him firmly. “You didn’t have to do it, y’know...take that punch for me, I mean...” She tugged at her shirt sleeves, blushing softly. “But thanks. I owe you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Makoto assured her. “You didn’t do anything wrong, so it wouldn’t have been right for me to just stand there and let him berate you.”

Chihiro nodded, “But still, I appreciate it,” she said. “If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask, ok? If I can help, I definitely will!”

For a split second Makoto’s mind went to a million different lewd places before he mentally shook himself. That hadn’t been what she meant, but his stupid teenage mind was insistent on hearing only what it wanted to. “Yeah, I will.”

Chihiro brightened considerably. She smiled before practically skipping toward the dining hall.

“Looks like someone made a friend.”

Makoto spotted Kyoko leaning against the wall a few feet away and instantly wondered when in the hell she had managed to slip past him unnoticed. “I...well...yeah, I guess.”

“People really warm up to you quickly, don’t they…” it was more a statement than a question, as if she was making a mental note. Kyoko pushed away from the wall and walked passed Makoto to her own room. “That’s a good skill to have. Don’t take it for granted.”

Makoto watched her until her door shut, unsure of how to respond or what exactly had just happened. “She’s...weird,” he muttered to himself. “Just...weird.” Shaking his head, Makoto walked toward his own room. The door wasn’t locked, and as he stepped inside his eyes almost immediately found the key sitting on the table. Making a mental note to grab it the next time he left, he flopped backward heavily onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling. He noted an odd stain just above his head and fixed his gaze on it, losing himself in thought.

Did he really belong here? Probably not, but he’d be damned if he allowed anything to stop him from succeeding in his goals. Everything still seemed so shocking, so surreal, and Makoto wondered if he would ever get used to it all. Could he ever sit at a table with someone like Mondo or Sakura and not feel completely out of place? What right did he have to even pretend they were on the same level? He could already tell Byakuya had taken it upon himself to establish a hierarchy, putting himself right at the top; it was obvious in the looks of bored disapproval he eyed everyone with as they ate, he himself seated as far from them as he could get and still be able to observe. He looked down on people like Sayaka and Hina, so it only stood to reason he didn’t believe Makoto to be worth much more than the dirt under his designer loafers.

Slamming the side of his fist into the mattress, Makoto made an important decision. “I’m not going to let them intimidate me!” he declared aloud to the ceiling. “I won’t! I’m going to prove myself! I’ll show them all that I belong here, and nothing they say or do is going to make me run away!”

If there was one “ultimate” trait within Makoto Naegi it was his undying determination, and the students of Hope’s Peak were about to witness it first hand.

DING DONG, BING BONG.

Makoto groaned as his eyes slowly blinked open at the loud sound coming through the PA system. When had he fallen asleep? Perhaps he had been far more tired than he originally thought. Sitting up, he stretched his stiff shoulders and looked up at the monitor on the wall next to the bathroom door. The Headmaster’s face was smiling back at him and Makoto couldn’t help but feel uneasy. How hard would it really be to add a hidden camera to that thing?

“Hello, students. This is a school announcement for our incoming freshmen. It is currently four-o’clock-,”

“What?!” Makoto exclaimed, swiveling around on his bed to look at the clock behind him. “Holy crap, I was asleep for four hours!”

“-dinner will be served in the dining hall at six on the dot, please try to be on time. However, if for some reason you miss dinner, worry not...snacks will be available in the kitchen until ten-thirty-pm each night, at which point the doors will be shut and locked until seven the following morning. All students must remain inside the school building from dusk to sun-rise, and anyone caught entering or exiting during those hours will be punished accordingly. Feel welcome to explore the building and grounds, so long as you abide by the school regulations. Said regulations can be found on your e-handbooks for reference. You’ll find your school issued uniforms hanging in your closets, along with a pair of school issued dress shoes, both of which you will be required to wear during school hours for the duration of your time here. Have a nice night, and thank you for your attention. This concludes your first school announcement.”

The screen went black and Makoto pulled his e-handbook from his jacket pocket. Pressing the power button, the screen lit up and displayed across it in bold white letters was his name: Makoto Naegi. He scrolled through the list of files until he found the regulations and tapped the picture to open it. “Ok...let’s see what kind of rules we have to follow here…”

HOPE’S PEAK ACADEMY  
SCHOOL REGULATIONS.

1: Boys and girls are prohibited from using the bath house together.

Makoto decided that one made perfect sense. A bunch of horny teenagers taking co-ed baths would undoubtedly end badly.

2: Cheating, and all kinds of dishonest behavior, will not be tolerated.

But which one of these kids would even _be_ dishonest? Well except for maybe Celeste, Makoto figured, seeing as she made a living off of illegal gambling

3: Student may share sleeping quarters with those of the same gender, but are prohibited from doing so with those of the opposite.

4: Students must remain within the school building throughout the night, beginning at Dusk. Absolutely no exceptions.

5\. All Students will report for class each morning or be labeled-

A knock at the door pulled Makoto away from his reading and he looked to his door. “Come in!” he called. “It’s open!” The door opened inward, and Makoto jumped a little when Sayaka poked her head around it. “O-oh, hi, Sayaka.”

The girl smiled warmly, “Are you ok?” she asked. “You never came back to the dining hall. The rest of us have all been exploring the school, have you been here the entire time?”

Makoto looked away awkwardly. “Uh, yeah, sorry,” he replied. “I guess I was pretty tired...I fell asleep.”

“Oh, well that’s ok then,” Sayaka said. “At least you’re not hiding from us.” She walked further into the room and sat down on the edge of the mattress, “Hey, Makoto,” her voice was soft and friendly, “I just want you to know that if you have any trouble while you’re here, you can come to me, ok? I’d be really upset if something happened and I didn’t have the chance to try and help. Promise?”

A little taken aback, Makoto nodded slowly. “Uh, yeah, sure. Promise. Thanks, Sayaka.”

She smiled again, “What’re friends, for?”

Friends? Makoto thought. We’re really friends?

“Of course we are. We could be best friends if you wanted.”

Makoto yelped, jumping away from the girl in surprise.

Sayaka laughed, “Oh, you know it’s just my intuition.

“Do you want to hang out until dinner?” Sayaka asked. “We could do some exploring?”

Makoto nodded, “Actually that does sound like fun,” he replied. He stood from the bed, and shrugged off his hoodie to tie it around his waist. “Where should we go first?”

Sayaka thought for a moment. “Maybe we can start on the fourth floor and make our way down?”

“Sounds good,” Makoto agreed, motioning to the door. “Lead the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOOM! Be nice when you comment or get out.

**Author's Note:**

> There you have it! It's shorter than I intended, but oh well.  
> Be kind or, y'know, get out. lol.  
> Hope you enjoyed it! ...hope I can continue writing and not be one of those people who posts for a week and then disappears for six years....  
> Anyway, Kudos and comments are appreciated!


End file.
